If you are not familiar or as likely forgot, (then) sitting Democrat State Senator Jeff Woodburn, his aspirations to one day run for governor dashed, was accused of multiple counts of domestic assault by his (then) Democrat girlfriend.
Scriptwriters and producers can wade through the details of the drama here. The accusations pitted Democrats against Democrats from within and outside the North Country political apparatus. Innocent appliances were harmed. Court orders were ignored. It was an amusing spectacle. He said she said. Democrats were picking sides. Jeff even ran for office again but found himself – in the shadow of #metoo and #believewomen – lacking “he said” support. Bloggers paradise.
Related: We Called It: Democrat Jeff Woodburn Admits to Leaking Image Under Protective Order
After a series of mishaps and delayed court appearances, Woodburn was charged and later convicted, but on appeal, the State Supreme Court eventually overturned that on a technicality. Keep in mind that Woodburn was found guilty of things to which he admitted but not what he did not, and even bragged about that to the press and on social media. The NH High Court commanded Woody be retried and evidence allowed that had previously been withheld (incorrectly, according to NH’s Supremes).
Since that verdict, the Defense has been playing games with court dates, most recently requesting that because Woodburn’s (New!) lawyer, Mark Sisti, is a Town Moderator and has been for many years, the Court date chosen months ago would not work as it is the same day as the Town Meeting. It’s one of those things you’d think might have come up when discussing trial dates when scheduled.
Sisti also posits several other considerations in a request for continuance, tossing Jeffy’s previous lawyer under the ‘Win with Woody’ bus in the process.
The State filed an objection opposing any more delay, noting that it has been six years. Mr. Woodburn is still dragging this out.
Woody has made it clear in his statement to the press in May 2021 that he found it “gratifying” that a jury found him guilty of (only) the crimes to which he admitted.
The Judge wasn’t having any of what Sisit was shoveling.
The Court has denied the untimely motion to continue, noting that Sisiti had 8-months to make the request when the date was set in early June 2023 and again two months later in August. Jeff Woodburn will go on trial again in a few weeks, and we will see what we see. The State will most certainly use his public statements of guilt as evidence, so I’m not sure what the Defense thinks it can offer to contradict that.
Mr. Woodburn has run out of places to hide. He will have to stand in court unless he and his lawyer are thinking of testing positive for COVID on March 11th, something the Court might want to verify before suggesting they appear masked, which would hold a certain irony.
